Bayern Munich’s Badstuber ruled out for trip to Cluj

Munich: Bayern Munich travelled to Romania on Tuesday for their Champions League match against CFR Cluj without injured defender Holger Badstuber and with a depleted squad of only 15 players.

“Holger Badstuber did not join the team to Romania,” a club official told Reuters as the team bus pulled into Munich airport.

Central defender Badstuber picked up a hip injury during warm-up in their Bundesliga win over Freiburg at the weekend. He will most likely be replaced by Argentine Martin Demichelis.

Last season’s Champions League finalists are top of Group E on nine points from three wins and a point on Wednesday would be enough to send the German champions through to the round of 16 with two games to spare.

There was some good news, however, for coach Louis van Gaal after goalkeeper Hans-Joerg Butt overcame a minor back injury and David Alaba, the 18-year-old midfielder who had been out for almost two months with torn ligaments, also made the squad.

Injury-plagued Bayern saw striker Ivica Olic ruled out for six months on Monday because he needs knee surgery.

Bayern were already without wingers Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery who have been sidelined for some time, as well as key striker Miroslav Klose and captain Mark van Bommel.